<p>DS, a rising senior, currently has four schools on list. Number one is St. Olaf. However, within just the last few days I've been doing a lot of reading about Rhodes College. It sounds like an incredible school and a good fit for son. </p>
<p>However there is one primary drawback that I can see: the greek system.</p>
<p>DS doesn't mind the idea of a greek presence at a school, but from what I read greeks at Rhodes dominate everything. And of course the party scene is huge. In fact, 50% of the student body is greek. </p>
<p>Contrast this with St. Olaf, with its dry campus, there's not really a raging party scene at all.</p>
<p>I think DS is looking for a tight knit, inclusive community. If Rhodes is cliquey and exclusive it would be a big turn off.</p>
<p>Anyone out there with knowledge of the Rhodes environment?</p>
<p>Send a PM to Curmudgeon. His daughter had a great experience at Rhodes and he will tell you all about it.
I saw the campus in June when I was in Memphis for a wedding shower. It is lovely, and Memphis has some gorgeous areas (including around Rhodes).</p>
<p>My daughter applied to Rhodes but ultimately decided not to attend. Her take on the Greek system was that if 50 percent were in that meant 50 percent were out. Our impression was that the school works hard to arrange opportunities for activities both on campus and off. I also gathered that the nonresidential aspect of Greek life tempered its effect on the campus. I think the place is well worth consideration based on its academics and culture. I would not let the Greek factor keep me from looking into it.</p>
<p>Our HS usually sends a couple of the top 10% students to Rhodes each year, and have been acquainted with a few of them (really good kids.) My sense from them is that while Greek Life is an important part of campus life, it’s a different kind of Greek Life than you hear about at big Southern SEC school. As in, it’s pretty chill.</p>
<p>Feel free to pm me–my daughter graduated from Rhodes this year. She did go Greek, but had good friends who did not. She was not into the party scene and was a very serious student. She was a biochem major and Russian minor. Her Rhodes experience was wonderful…and very inexpensive, as she had a full tuition scholarship (Morse).</p>
<p>I have to tell on myself. When I saw Rhodes in June, I was in Memphis on an overnight trip with my daughter (Episcopal priest, age 27) for an engagement party. We ran on the greenway Sunday morning and had a little time before we were due at a brunch. I said, “We have to go see Rhodes so I have better information when people ask about it on CC!” She got a kick out of that, since my CC life is a source of amusement to my family.</p>
<p>“it’s a different kind of Greek Life than you hear about at big Southern SEC school.”</p>
<p>I agree. A lot of kids who join at Rhodes probably would not have joined if they had gone to Tennessee or Alabama. From what I understand, it’s not a crazy scene.</p>
<p>Another Rhodes parent. D (class of 2014) did not join a sorority, and she has a circle of friends she is happy with. But Rhodes is not St. Olaf, for sure. On the other hand, Rhodes’ Greek system is not cliquey or exclusive. The biggest negative influence on the campus life is that Greek parties seem to be the most popular weekend activites. Not that non-Greeks are excluded (you just have to be invited by a Greek, if my understanding is correct), but there is a lot of alcohol consumption. </p>
<p>There are lots of very wonderful things about Rhodes, but since the OP asked specifically about the Greek system, I won’t go on about those . . .</p>
<p>to me frats ruin what college is about! I realize everyone does not think like me, but schools with out greek systems I think create a happier more close nit student body!
I cringe at the need to join something to feel some sort of validation or whatever , and I would not look at rhodes because of the high % of greeks (just my feeling) otherwise I bet it is an amazing school!</p>
<p>zobroward, that is why it is great that you have choices. Some of us love Greek life and all it has given to us.
In some cases, an active Greek life allows for more on-campus activities, so students are more likely to stay on campus during the weekend to attend the parties and philanthropy events.</p>
<p>My college reference bible after CC is college xxxxxxxxxx P…R…O…W…L …E…R. According to their site, the Greek scene at Rhodes is loose enough that you could join or not join and non greeks. That is my barometer for whether a school with a large Greek percent should be on your final list. </p>
<p>The school my son is going to has a greek scene but I have repeatedly read how you can join or not join and feel ok but still go to Frat parties. Another school he was considering was also that way. One school that many students in our area apply to because of their strong engineering dept (my son’s major) is described as having a Greek scene that is very dominant and has more of a divided atmosphere. That was a turn off and the school did not make it to his final list.</p>
<p>D goes to a school with a HEAVY Greek influence and even when she or the college plan non-frat events, the events tend to break up around 10:30 which is when people make the rounds of the frat parties.</p>
<p>I don’t understand – why the animosity towards Greek life? If you really get into it, it’s basically four years of leadership training (and my, we certainly need more leaders). You always have a sister/brother to sit with in class, someone to give you tips about interning or former exams/profs, a nation-wide network at your disposal, etc. Sure, people drink, but what college campus, Greek or not, doesn’t have that? It’s part of student life, like crappy cafeteria food and tiny rooms. Hazing is prevalent at military academies, too, so it isn’t exclusive to the Greek system. It seems that people take the stuff on TFM way too seriously, especially the pre-froshes who go on there looking for tips on how to behave during rush.</p>
<p>smorgasbord, you can easily open the flood gates if you are not careful. Fraternity life is not basic leadership training. Fraternities, like any separate group, perpetuate an us and them mentality. Some schools do not allow greeks groups at all because philosophically, they want students to feel that they are all part of the same group. </p>
<p>It really gets back to what the perception of what college is supposed to be. Some people have had wonderful greek experiences especially if that was the norm in their family growing up. Others have not.</p>
When I saw Rhodes in June, I was in Memphis on an overnight trip with my daughter (Episcopal priest, age 27) for an engagement party. We ran on the greenway Sunday morning and had a little time before we were due at a brunch. I said, “We have to go see Rhodes so I have better information when people ask about it on CC!” She got a kick out of that, since my CC life is a source of amusement to my family.</p>